Fence-gate.



H. G. BEMIS.

FENCE GATE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1, 191a v1,073,563. Patented Sept. 16,1913.

ll) Hi WIT/VESSES INVENTOI? jiv/WJ. y @M ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANouuAPHcu, WASHINGTON. D- c.

HERBERT GEORGE BEIVIIS, OF RICEVILLE, IOWA.

FENCE-GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

PatentedSept.16. 1913.

Application filed April 1, 1913. Serial No. 758,209.

To all whom it may 00 11. corn Be it known that I, TTERIHCR'I G. Bnuis,a citizen oi the United States, and a resident of Riceville, in thecounty 01'' Ivlitchell and State of Iowa, have invented a new andlmproved F once-Gate, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

Among the principal objects which the present invention has in view are:to provide a gate of the character named, having a structural frame therails whereof may be shaped from plate or sheet metal to form housingsfor rolling supports; to provide a light and graceful supportingstructure; to provide supports for the gate, so arranged as to maintainthe equilibrium of the gate; and to provide a structure which is simple,economical and durable.

One embodin'lent of the present invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, in Wl110l1- Figure 1 is a side view of a section of post andwire fence, having a gate and supporting frame therefor, constructed andar ranged in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a detailview, on an enlarged scale, taken on the section line 2-2 in Fig. 1;Fig. 8 is a detail view in section, on an enlarged scale, taken on theline 33 in Fig. 1, showing a supporting center post for the gate.

As seen in the accompanying drawings, the gateway is formed by gateposts 8 and 9. The post 8 is furnished with a striker bar 10 to receiveand hold a latch 11. The post 9 is the main support for the gate, and tothis end is provided at the foot with a bracket arm 12, which has abolting plate 13, and is equipped at the upper end of the arm with asupporting roller 1-1. The roller 14 is suspended pivotally between arms16, 10 of a yoke 15 disposed at the upper end of the arm 12 to which theyoke 15 is united by a spindle 17. A'second roller 1 1, together withits supporting yoke 15 and spindle 17, is fixedly located midway betweenthe gate posts and in the center of the road, the spindle 17 being letinto or anchored in a supporting post 18. The roller 14 and yokes 15thereof are housed within a rectangular bottom rail 19. The lowerhorizontal flanges of the rail 19 are essentially divided and spacedapart to form a slot, through which pass the spindles 17 as the gate isrolled into closing or open position.

The weight of the gate is carried by the rollers 14-. The roller 1 1mounted on the bracket 12 is constantly within the channel of the rail19. The roller 1-:1; mounted upon the post .18 passes out of the channelin the rail 19 whenever the gate 90 is moved to open position. lln theclosed position of the gate 20, the weight of the gate is carriedprimarily on the rollers l-t, a wheel 21 attached to the upper railserving at such times to steady and guide the gate in its operation.When, however, the gate is pushed back to the open position, and whenthe roller 14: mounted on the post 18 passes out of the rail .19, theweight of the inner half of the gate is borne in part thereafter by thewheel 21. The wheel 21 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 22, saidbracket being suitably fastened to the top rail of the gate. The wheel21 tracks in the groove 23 formed by an upstanding flange 24. Thevertical extension of the flange 2 1 is less than the distance lrom theperiphery of the wheel 21 and the bearing thereof. Parallel with andspaced apart from the flange 2 1, the pendent side forms a guide for thebracket 22 and a housing for the wheel 91 and members connectedtherewith. The track rail for the groove 23 and the side 25 isreinforced above the housing formed by the side 25, by a tubular crown2G. The crown 96 is shaped "from the same plate as the side 25, themetal T0111] ing the groove 23 and the back plate 27. The tubular andthe rectangular sections ot the rail are separated by a web 28, said webbeing structurally united by rivets 29 spaced apart at suitableintervals.

The form of rail such as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, is very lightin weight, and otl'ers the maximum strength for bridging between theposts 5) and 2-30, upon which posts said rail is mounted by boltingplates 31.

\Vhen thus equipped and arranged, the operation of the gate is asfollows:-To open the gate, the latch 11 is lifted to free the same fromengagement with the striker bar 10. The gate is then tree for movementto a position between the posts 9 and 30. During the first portion 01?the movement of the gate, as above indicated, the weight of the gate iscarried on the rollers 14. and the rail 19. \Vhen the gate, in itsmovement, passes from its raised position upon the roller M mounted onthe post 18, a portion of the weight is transferred to the wheel 21,which portion gradually and constantly increases until, when in itswide-open position, the weight of the gate may be said to be equallydistributed between the rollers ll on the bracket arm 12 and the wheel21. In this position, the gate is prevented from canting, by anysuitable means, or by the rear or inner end of the rail 19 restingagainst the side of the post 30. 'When now the gate is closed, it ismoved forward, the weight being supported by the roller let on thebracket 12, and by the wheel 21, until the rail 19 is threaded over theroller is mounted on the post 18, which latter roller 14- thereafterassists in supporting the weight of the gate until the same closes uponthe post 8, and the latch 11 engages the striker bar 10.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent 1. A; fence gate, comprising a frame having a bottomhollow, longitudinally-slotted, open-ended rail; a plurality ofsupporting rollers mounted in bearings formed in upturned yokes, one ofsaid rollers being disp'osed adjacent the side of the gate opening andthe other of said rollers being disposed adjacent the center of the gateopening; a hanger wheel mounted upon the top rail of said gate; and atrack mounted upon a gate post and extending away from the gate opening,said track being engaged by said wheel.

2. A fence gate, comprising a rectangular frame having a bottom tubularrail rectangular in cross section, said rail being openended and havingan unobstructed longitudinally-disposed slot; a plurality of sup- 3. Afence gate, comprising a rectangular name having a bottom tubular railrectangular in cross section, said rail being openended and having anunobstructed longitu dinally-disposed slot; a plurality of, supportingrollers, each mounted in yokes having a stem extending through said slotto guide said gate; a plurality of supporting posts adjacent and at oneside of the gate opening; a supporting top rail connecting said posts,said rail having a rectangular lower section and a tubular crownsection, the lower section having an upturned flange to form an upturnedtrack groove; a guide wheel operatively mounted in said track groove;and a pendent side spaced apart from said upturned flange to form apassage therebetween to enfold and guide the bracket of said guidewheel. 7

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERBERT GEORGE BEMIS. Witnesses F. F. BLANDIN, I'IERBERT J. USE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

